2007 FactsLine Archives

12/18/2007 Texas Mutual Adopts New Relativities
12/13/2007 Additional Network Service Areas Now Available
12/12/2007 Texas Mutual Extends New-Business Commission Bonus
12/3/2007 Dividends Reward TRA for Job Well Done
11/19/07 TDI Approves Additional Network Service Areas
11/9/2007 Sign Industry Safety Group Opens Doors
11/7/2007 Texas Mutual Rewards First-Year Policyholders With Dividends
10/24/2007 Running Loss History Reports Online is as Easy as 1, 2, 3!
08/31/2007 Earn More Commission
08/29/2007 CompGroup AGC Earns $2.9M Dividend
08/02/2007 Texas Mutual Offers New-Business Commission Bonus
07/25/2007 Texas Mutual Pays a Record $125 Million in Dividends
07/13/2007 Help Your Auto Repair Clients Save Money
07/02/2007 TxOGA Earns $1.7M Dividend
06/17/2007 Texas Mutual Online Even Easier to Use
05/30/2007 Texas Mutual to Award Record $125 Million in Dividends
05/17/2007 We Want to Say Hello in Person
05/03/2007 Want to Increase Your Sales?
02/27/2007 Change in Interim Report Posting Receipt Mailings
02/09/2007 Texas Star Network Transition
02/05/2007 Texas Mutual Network Expansion Update
01/24/2007 TDI Approves Additional Network Service Areas
01/17/2007 Tell Your Clients About OIEC Posting Requirement

2006 FactsLine archives

Texas Mutual Adopts New Relativities

Texas Mutual Insurance Company has adopted the relativities recently approved by Texas Department of Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin. Effective immediately, we will use the relativities as a basis for calculating premium for new and renewal business with effective dates on or after January 1, 2008.

To view the recently adopted relativities, visit www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/regulation/wcrates08.html. For information on rates, visit www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/regulation/rcomp.html.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will work hard to continue earning it. Please feel free to contact your agency representative at (800) 859-5995 if you have questions.

Additional Network Service Areas Now Available

Texas Mutual Insurance Company's workers' compensation health care network is now available to eligible policyholders in the Wichita Falls area (Archer, Baylor, Clay, Throckmorton, Wichita, Wilbarger and Young Counties), the Sherman area (Grayson County) and the Laredo area (Webb County).

With the expansion, 97 percent of the company's policyholders have operations in a network service area. Click here to review the service area map, get an in-network quote or endorsement, and download helpful network tools and information.

Policyholders who are eligible for and choose the network option benefit from occupational health care services designed to control the costs of workplace injuries. Most also receive a 12 percent annual network premium discount.

If you have current, new and renewal quotes with effective dates starting on December 13, 2007, you can get an in-network quote for your eligible policyholders by using our Internet Quoting (IQ) tool to request a requote. Please do not enter comments when you request an IQ quote, as this will cause processing delays.
For quotes with effective dates on or after January 1, 2008, Texas Mutual Insurance Company will fax an in-network and out-of-network requote to your office for all current quotes affected by the expansion.
The company will send a postcard to newly eligible policyholders next week directing them to contact their agent if they would like to sign up for the network. It will also notify current network policyholders who have locations in the expanded service areas.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it. Please feel free to contact your agency representative if you have questions.

Texas Mutual Extends
New-Business Commission Bonus

Texas Mutual Insurance Company will extend the 10 percent agent commission on new business through June 30, 2008. The new-business commission bonus of 1 percent applies to policies with premiums up to $100,000 in our Cornerstone^® program.

After June 30, 2008, new-business commission will return to the 9 percent rate.

Commission structures on accounts in our Small Business Injury Protection Plan, Start program (insurer of last resort), and temporary staffing and employee leasing policies remain at the current program level.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business, and we will continue working hard to earn it. Please contact your agency representative or information services at (800) 859-5995 if you have questions.

Dividends Reward TRA for Job Well Done

Members of the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) Safety Group will share a $2,604,861 million dividend from Texas Mutual Insurance Company. The dividend, the highest in the group's history, is based largely on its overall loss ratio.

TRA has earned more than $7.7 million in group dividends since 1999. Many members also earned a share of the company's $125 million individual dividend distribution by maintaining acceptable personal loss ratios.

If you have restaurant clients in class code 9079, ask us for a TRA quote. Besides potential dividends, TRA group members get a premium discount and an industry-specific safety plan. For more information, click here.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business, and we will work hard to continue earning it.

Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends, and the Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.

TDI Approves Additional Network Service Areas

The Texas Department of Insurance has approved Texas Mutual Insurance Company's request to expand its workers' compensation health care network service area.

The expansion includes the Wichita Falls area (Archer, Baylor, Clay, Throckmorton, Wichita, Wilbarger and Young Counties), the Sherman area (Grayson County) and the Laredo area (Webb County). With the expansion, the network will be available to approximately 97 percent of policyholders.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company will notify you in the next two weeks regarding when the network will be available in the additional areas.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company will send a postcard to newly eligible policyholders directing them to contact their agent if they would like to sign up for the network. The company will also notify current network policyholders who have locations in the expanded areas.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it. Please feel free to contact your agency representative at (800) 859-5995 if you have questions.

Sign Industry Safety Group Opens Doors

Effective immediately, any licensed Texas agent can submit clients for consideration in the Texas Sign Association (TSA) Comp Group Inc. Safety Group. The group is open to on-premise sign product manufacturers, sign supply distributors and associated sign service providers. For more information, visit www.tsa-compgroup.org/, or call (800) 406-9614.

Agents who work with Safety Groups can increase their market share, generate higher premium volumes and increase customer loyalty. Their clients get a premium discount, an industry-specific safety plan, and potential individual and group dividends.*

Eligible accounts can earn an additional discount by participating in Texas Mutual's workers' comp health care network.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company underwrites open Safety Groups in a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, health care, construction, manufacturing and restaurants. For more information about how group coverage can benefit you and your clients, click here or call your agency representative at (800) 859-5995.

*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends, and the Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.

Texas Mutual Rewards
First-Year Policyholders With Dividends

Texas Mutual Insurance Company began distributing approximately
$2 million in early qualifier dividends today. In early November, we sent you a list of your qualifying clients.

The early qualifier component is the final piece of our $125 million 2007 dividend plan. We introduced it this year in response to agents who asked us to shorten the time that first-year policyholders must wait for a dividend. To be eligible for an early qualifier dividend, a policyholder must have met three criteria:

The policyholder must have had a Texas Mutual policy that expired between January 1, 2007 and June 30, 2007.
The policyholder must have had an in-force policy on October 15, 2007.
The policyholder's loss ratio must be within the acceptable range.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company has declared about $445 million in individual policyholder dividends since 1999. Click here to review your clients’ personal dividend history. Click here to download a dividend fact sheet.

Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends, and the Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends. If you have questions about the dividend plan, call us at (800) 859-5995. Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it.

Running Loss History Reports
Online is as Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Texas Mutual Insurance Company offers online loss history reports, and it’s even easier in the enhanced website – it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Log into loss run and claim detail tool.
Search for the policy, select it and click go.
Identify the criteria needed, and click run.

In support of our commitment to eliminate unnecessary paperwork, effective immediately, Texas Mutual Insurance Company is changing the mailing procedure for loss history reports.

Policyholders who have incurred a loss in their current policy period and/or immediate past policy period will have a loss history report mailed to them on an annual basis. Loss history reports will be available online at any time, or by contacting Texas Mutual Insurance Company in writing or at (800) 859-5995.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business, and we assure you we will continue working hard to earn it. Feel free to contact your agency representative at (800) 859-5995 if you have questions.

Earn More Commission

Texas Mutual Insurance Company reminds you that it is offering a
10 percent agent commission on new business with premiums up to $100,000 in our Cornerstone^® program. The 1 percent commission bonus applies to policies with effective dates from September 1, 2007 through January 1, 2008. After January 1, 2008, new-business commission will return to the 9 percent rate.

CompGroup AGC Earns $2.9M Dividend

Texas Mutual Insurance Company paid a $2,960,537 dividend to the CompGroup AGC Safety Group today. The group has earned more than $7 million in group dividends since 2002. Any licensed Texas agent can submit qualifying clients for group membership.

Safety Group benefits for you:

Maintain renewal stability.
Increase your market share by market specialization.
Generate higher premium volumes from potential new clients.

Safety Group benefits for your clients:

Receive a premium discount based on the group's premium volume.
Adopt an industry-specific safety plan.
Earn potential group and individual dividends.*

For more information about the CompGroup AGC, click here. For more information about other Safety Groups, click here. If you are interested in partnering with Texas Mutual Insurance Company to form a new Safety Group, contact your agency representative at (800) 859-5995.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it.

*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends, and the Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.

Texas Mutual Offers New-Business Commission Bonus

Texas Mutual Insurance Company is offering a 10 percent agent commission on new business with premiums up to $100,000 in our Cornerstone^® program. The new-business commission bonus of 1 percent applies to policies with effective dates from September 1, 2007 through January 1, 2008. After January 1, 2008, new-business commission will return to the current 9 percent rate.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company looks forward to a strong fourth quarter and continued success in retaining existing customers. We appreciate your business, and we will continue working hard to earn it. Please contact your agency representative or Information Services at (800) 859-5995 if you have questions.

Texas Mutual Pays a Record $125 Million in Dividends

Texas Mutual Insurance Company began distributing a company record of about $125 million in individual policyholder dividends today. Approximately 37,500 employers, representing about 79 percent of policyholders, will earn a dividend. We mailed you a list of your clients who qualified.

Policyholders enrolled in the Small Business Injury Protection Plan and Cornerstone^® program are eligible to participate in the 2007 individual dividend plan. This year's plan includes the traditional annual and retention components.

We are also awarding a special dividend and an early qualifier dividend. The special dividend is based on our exceptional financial results in 2006. The early qualifier dividend reduces the time that first-year policyholders must wait for their first dividend. We will distribute early qualifier dividends in late November. We will send you a list of your qualifying clients in advance.

With these dividends, Texas Mutual Insurance Company will have paid about $445 million in individual policyholder dividends during the past nine years.* Click here to review your clients' personal dividend history.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it. If you have questions, please contact your agency representative at (800) 859-5995.

*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends, and the Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.

Help Your Auto Repair Clients Save Money

Texas Mutual Insurance Company has launched the Texas Auto Repair Safety Group. The group offers a money-saving workers' compensation option for qualifying tire sales centers, general auto repair facilities, lube centers, auto parts stores and body, brake repair, automotive machine and radiator shops. Any licensed Texas agent can submit qualifying clients for membership.

Benefits for you:

Increase your market share.
Generate higher premium volumes.
Maintain renewal stability.

Benefits for your clients:

Get a premium discount based on the group's premium volume, regardless of individual premium size.
Adopt an industry-specific safety plan.
Earn potential group and individual dividends.*

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it. Click here for more information about Safety Groups.

*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends, and the Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.

TxOGA Earns $1.7M Dividend

Texas Mutual Insurance Company paid a $1,752,338 dividend to the Texas Oil & Gas Association (TxOGA) Safety Group. TxOGA has earned over $5 million in group dividends since 2001. Any licensed Texas agent can submit qualifying clients for group membership.

Safety Group benefits for you:

Maintain renewal stability.
Increase your market share by market specialization.
Generate higher premium volumes from potential new clients.

Safety Group benefits for your clients:

Receive a premium discount based on group’s premium volume.
Adopt an industry-specific safety plan created by a loss prevention specialist.
Earn potential group and individual dividends.*

For more information about Safety Groups, click here. If you are interested in partnering with Texas Mutual Insurance Company to form a new Safety Group, contact your agency representative at (800) 859-5995.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it.

*Past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends, and the Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends.

Texas Mutual Online Even Easier to Use

Texas Mutual Insurance Company has redesigned the password-protected areas of www.texasmutual.com. The redesign makes Texas Mutual^® online services even easier to use. Here is an overview of the enhancements.

Look and layout:

We made the design features, such as buttons and sortable columns, consistent to provide a seamless Web experience.

New navigation features:

A header bar appears on every page after the user logs in. It includes direct links to the tools that agents use most. You can now switch from one online tool to another without backing out to the home page.
The new agent gateway page lets you search for an account to work with, read the latest company news and review alerts about pending cancellations.
The new action page lets you view policies, submissions and quotes in one list; select the account you want to work with and then select the action to take with that account. You can access the action page from the my book of business page.

To see the redesign, click here, and enter your Texas Mutual^® online services username and password. If you're not registered to use
Texas Mutual^® online services, click here, and complete the free online application. You can also call the information services center at
(800) 859-5995.

If you have questions, contact your agency representative. Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working with you to earn it.

Texas Mutual to Award Record $125 Million in Dividends

Plan Includes Early Qualifier Dividend

This afternoon, the Texas Mutual Insurance Company board of directors approved the company's plan to distribute approximately $125 million in individual policyholder dividends. The plan still requires Texas Department of Insurance approval. The company will send you a list of your clients who will receive a dividend check.

This year's plan includes an early qualifier dividend. The early qualifier dividend reduces the time that first-year policyholders must wait for their first dividend. We will distribute early qualifier dividends in late November.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company has declared about $445 million in individual dividends since 1999, including $100 million last year. The company encourages you to use its track record for dividends as a customer retention tool. Click here to download a dividend fact sheet to distribute among your clients.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company notes that past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends, and the Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividends. If you have questions about the dividend plan, please call us at (800) 859-5995. Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it.

We Want to Say Hello in Person

Texas Mutual Insurance Company hopes that your itinerary for next month's IIAT conference and trade show includes a stop at our booth. We will show you how to use Safety Groups, our workers' comp health care network, our website and other Texas Mutual^® services to help you and your clients get ahead.

This year's conference is June 3-5 at the San Antonio Convention Center/Marriott Rivercenter Hotel. You will have the opportunity to network with colleagues, learn how to use technology to streamline your operations, earn continuing education credits and catch up on legislation that could affect the agent community.

For more information, visit www.iiat.org. We look forward to seeing you in San Antonio.

Want to Increase Your Sales?

Texas Mutual Insurance Company can help you increase your sales and improve your account retention. Stop by our booth at the IIAT Annual Conference and Trade Show, June 3-5 at the San Antonio Convention Center/Marriott Rivercenter Hotel. Representatives from more than 20 Safety Groups will be on hand to tell you how their programs can help you and your clients get ahead.

We will also give you information about our workers’ comp health care network, online safety self-assessment tool and other timesaving
Texas Mutual^® online services that help you and your clients improve your productivity.

This year's conference is a must for agents looking for ways to build their business. You will have the opportunity to network with colleagues, learn how to use technology to streamline your operations, earn continuing education credits and catch up on legislation that could affect the agent community.

For more information, visit www.iiat.org. We look forward to seeing you in San Antonio.

Texas Star Network Transition

Concentra Operating Corporation has reached an agreement to sell its workers' compensation managed care services to Coventry Health Care Inc. Texas Mutual Insurance Company will work to assure that the sale has limited effect on the Texas Star Network_SM, and that your clients and their injured workers continue to receive the high-quality network services they have come to count on.

We partnered with Concentra last year to create the Texas Star Network_SM option. The network's goal is to reduce the costs of workplace accidents by helping injured workers get well and back on the job. Most participating policyholders earn a 12 percent annual network premium discount.

Remember, you can request endorsements for existing, eligible clients any time during their policy period. The easiest way to get a network endorsement for an existing, eligible Texas Mutual^® policyholder is through our online services. You can also email your request to apps@texasmutual.com for new business or underwriting@texasmutual.com for endorsements; fax your request to (800) 359-0650; or mail your request to Texas Mutual Insurance Company, Attn: Underwriting, P.O. Box 12058, Austin, TX 78711-2058.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it. Please feel free to contact your agency representative if you have questions.

Texas Mutual Network Expansion Update

Texas Mutual Insurance Company’s workers’ compensation health care network option is now available in additional areas of the state, including the Abilene, Midland, Odessa, Orange and Texarkana areas. The network option is now available to approximately 95 percent of the company’s policyholders.

Visit www.texasmutual.com to review the service area map, get an
in-network quote or endorsement, and download helpful network tools and information.

Policyholders who are eligible for and choose the network option have access to occupational health care providers and case management services that help injured workers get well and back on the job. Most eligible policyholders will also receive a 12 percent annual network premium discount.

If you have current, new and renewal quotes with effective dates starting on February 3, you can get an in-network quote for your eligible policyholders by using our Internet Quoting (IQ) tool to request a requote. Please do not enter comments when you request an IQ quote, as this will cause processing delays.
For quotes with effective dates on or after February 19, Texas Mutual Insurance Company will fax an in-network and out-of-network requote to your office for all current quotes affected by the expansion.
The company will send a postcard to newly eligible policyholders this week directing them to contact their agent if they would like to sign up for the network. It will also notify current network policyholders who have locations in the expanded service areas.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it. Please feel free to contact your agency representative if you have questions.

TDI Approves Additional Network Service Areas

The Texas Department of Insurance has approved the expansion of Texas Mutual Insurance Company's workers' compensation health care network. The expansion includes the Abilene, Midland, Nacogdoches, Odessa, Orange and Texarkana areas, along with others across the state. The network option will now be available to approximately 95 percent of the company's policyholders.

Policyholders who are eligible for and choose the network option have access to occupational health care providers and case management services that help injured workers get well and back on the job. Most of these eligible policyholders will also receive a 12 percent annual network premium discount.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company will notify you in the next two weeks regarding when the network option will be available in the additional areas. For more information about the network, click here.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it. Please feel free to contact your agency representative at (800) 859-5995 if you have questions.

Tell Your Clients About OIEC Posting Requirement

The Office of Injured Employee Counsel (OIEC) now requires employers to post notice of its ombudsman program in their workplace. Texas Mutual Insurance Company will mail a flyer to all policyholders notifying them of the new rule. The company will also add the notice to its policy packet.

You can help spread the word among your clients. Here is the information they need to know:

Employers must post the notice in their personnel office and where employees are likely to see it.
The notice must be in English, Spanish and any language common to employees.
Employers can download the notice and get more information about the rule in the employer forms section.

The OIEC is a state agency that represents injured workers' interests in the workers' compensation system. The ombudsman program is a free service for injured workers who have a dispute with their workers' comp insurance carrier. For more information, visit www.oiec.state.tx.us.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company appreciates your business and will continue working hard to earn it. Please feel free to contact the company at (800) 859-5995.